The party delayed the program to convince rival trade union factions-- loyal to Senior Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya and Vice-chairman Dr Babaruam Bhattarai respectively -- that decided to hold a separate May Day rally at New Baneshwor.[break]
These factions stated that they would not attend the program called by Secretary Posta Bahadur Bogati-led trade union committee as it has not enforced the party´s decision to take action against union leaders involved in beating up of fellow union members.
But the Baidya and Bhattarai factions withdrew their plan at 1 pm after the Bogati-led committee assured them that their demands would be addressed.
“We participated in the program at Bhrikuti Mandap after the committee agreed to enforce the party´s decisions,” said Badri Bajgain from the Baidya faction.
The Maoist trade union has been split vertically into three factions led by Saligram Jammakattel, Lal Dhwaj Nembang and Bajgian. Jammakattel is close to Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Bajgain to Baidya and Nembang to Bhattarai.
As per the agreement, the party would enforce the earlier decision to take action against union members from the Jammakattel faction who were found guilty of attacking those from Bajgain and Nembang factions.
Second, both Bajgain and Nembang would be allowed to speak at the function. And most importantly, Dahal would announce from the dais during the program that he is committed to take action against the guilty. Honoring the agreement, Dahal said the party would not spare the guilty.
“We are still probing various incidents [of physical attacks by one faction against the other] and some truths have already come to light. No one would go scot-free,” said Dahal. He called on the union leaders to stand united to defeat the “reactionaries and conspirators”.
Jammakattel has been accused of physically assaulting unionists from the Bajgain and Nembang factions.
“Encouraged by the party´s reluctance to take action against the guilty, they have been continuously launching physical attacks against us,” said Hom Subedi who is close to Nembang.
In an attempt to diffuse the crisis in the union, the party last month removed Jammakattel from the position of the union chief, and entrusted the Bogati-led committee with the task of holding a national convention to elect a new leadership. But Jammakattel remains too strong a figure to be rendered powerless.
Party insiders say the huge amount of money the party collects as “donations” from the businessmen across the country has been the major reason behind the conflict in the union.
Dahal warns of revolt if no statute on time
Addressing the function at Bhrikuti Mandap, Dahal stated that people may take to streets after May 28 if the CA falls prey to conspiracy.
The Maoist party sees the CA as an achievement of the party and wants to keep it intact until the constitution is written.
The Maoist chief argued that the country stands at crossroads. “We are close to writing a pro-people constitution and also very close to counter-revolution,” he said. The Maoist chief also threatened to go back to war. “We fought for 10 years and the party is again ready to fight for another 50 years if need be,” he said.
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